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(No Model.) 4 SheetS -Sheet 1.

A. 11. P. RANDOLPH. PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING TRAY- No. 518,075. Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model) A.D.1:".RANDO-LPH. PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING TRAY.

No. 518,075. Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

A. DIP. RANDOLPH. PHOTOGRAPHIG DEVELOPING TRAY.

Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

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ST T-Es PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR D. F. RANDOLPH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y-

PHOTOGRAPH IC DEVELOPING-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,075, dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed March 18, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR D. F. RAN- poLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Developing-Trays for Photographers, of which the following is a specification. The present invention relates to developing trays for photographers; and aims to provide a device 1n which a plate after exposure, can be developed, fixed and washed without removmg the plate from the tray and which w1ll admit of the process being at all times under the observation of the operator.

The lmprovement consists of the novel featuresand the peculiar construction and comblnatlon of the parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and wh ch are shown in the annexed drawings, in wh1ch= Flgure 1 is a top plan view ofa developing tray of my invention, a portion of the top be- 1ng broken away to show more clearly the detalls of the interior construction. Fig. 2 is an end view of the invention. Fig. 3 is asection on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow, the funnels being shown In full lines. Fig. 4. is a cross section on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking to the right as lnd cated by the arrow. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the invention, as seen from the side havlng the slots or openings for the entrance of the plates into the tray, part of the door for closing the said slots or openings being broken away, and showing in dotted lines a stand for supporting the device when in use. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the lower tray. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the top and bottom edges of the slots in the side of the tray protected by rubber or other suitable material. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the preferred form of funnel especially constructed to have the delivery end of a flexible tubmg posltlvely connected therewith.

lhe tray is composed of two parts, an upper and a lower tray 3 and 4, respectively. The upper tray 3 is open at its bottom and closed at 1ts top by a colored glass A which slldes 1n groove (1 so as to be readily removed for purposes of cleaning. A strip of rubber or other suitable material G is located at the Serial No. 466,655. (No model.)

lower edge of the tray 3 and is held in a groove g. p The outer or free edge of this strip G is deflected or bent down so as to touch the plate a when the latter is in position and obtain a close joint therewith. The tray 3 will be subdivided into two or more compartments as required by one or more partitions. If two compartments are desired, a single partition F is provided. To provide four compartments a second partition F will be arranged at right angles to the partition F, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The number of compartments is immaterial and will depend upon the capacity of the tray and the number of plates to be treated at the same time. The tray or each compartment thereof will have a spigot m, said spigot being bent to exclude light, which is arranged as near as possible to the plane of the strip G to drain oif the fluids used to develop, fix and wash the plates. In addition to a spigot, the tray or each compartment will have two funnels D and D for the introduction of the solutions or fluids into the tray necessary in the treatment of the plates after exposure to produce the picture. One funnel D is for the developing fluid the other funnel D for the hypo. After the picture has been developed, washed and fixed the water for washing the plate is admitted to the tray or compartment through either funnel. The spout 5 of the funnel is bent so as to exclude the light and is threaded at its lower end to screw into the side of the tray so as to be readily removed for packing or other purposes. The lower tray 4. is slightly larger than the upper tray 3 to receive the latter and is open at the top and the bottom, the latter being closed by a colored glass 6 which is slipped into a groove the same as glass A so as to be readily removed. A ledge or rim K is located on the inner side of the tray about midway between the upper and the lower edges thereof to support the plate a and the upper tray 3. A strip W of rubber or other like material covers the top and the inner edge of the ledge or rim K to form a packing and obtain a close joint between the plate a. and the said rim or ledge K and prevent injury to the said plate a. A stript is arranged on the rim or ledge K andextends around three sides of the tray or compartment. This strip 1s narrower than the ledge K and is about as thick as the plate a and is designed to guide the plate ct in proper place on the ledge when inserting the said plate in the tray to be treated. A slot 1' in the lower tray opposite the space provided by the omission of the strip from the fourth side of the tray or compartment admits of the plates ct being inserted and removed from the tray. To prevent injurious contact of the plates 0. with the edgesof the slot 1', the said edges are covered with rubber Q or other suitable material. This material Q extends over the edge of the tray bordering on and forming the slot and embraces the sides thereof, as shown most clearlyin Fig. 7. A door R is hinged to the lower tray and extends over the slot i and has a strip M to enter the said slot '5 and press against the edge of the plate a and force the latter to proper place when closing the said door. Slots (Z and d corresponding in position and number with the funnels and spigots are provided in the upper edge of the lower tray to receive the said funnels and spigots when placing the upper tray in the lower one.

The two trays 3 and 4 are held together and the plate ct clamped between the parts G and NV by suitable fastening means as threaded rods 0, and thumb nuts B. The rods 0 are secured to lateral extensions 7 on thelower tray and are adapted to have their upper threaded ends pass through corresponding lateral extensions 8 on the upper tray to receive the thumb nuts B which obtain a bearing upon the said extensions 8 and draw the two trays together and clamp the plate a between the lower edge of the tray 3 and the ledge or rim K.

The colored glasses A and 6 may be ruby, orange, red or other color that will exclude the actinic properties of light. These glasses permit the operator to watch the process of developing at all times and determine when the same has reached a proper stage.

In using the tray the thumb nuts 13 are loosened and the upper tray elevated, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, the plate a to be developed is inserted through the slot 1: and the door R is turned up and fastened, the strip M thereon entering slot 11 and forcing the said plate in position, the thumb nuts B are then turned down to clamp the plate between the tray 3 and the ledge K, making the compartments water tight. The developer is poured in through one of the funnels D and after the plate is sutficiently developed is drawn ott through the spigot m. The water is then poured in through the fun nels to wash plate. The hypo is now poured in through the other funnelD and after the picture is fixed the hypo is drawn oft and the plate a washed by admitting water through either of the funnels. The water is likewise drawn off through the spigot m. The pre- 'ferred form of tunnel shown in Fig. 8 has the upper end of the spoutinternally threaded to receive a threaded coupling n on the end of a flexible tube 9 which is adapted to be connected with a water fixture so that the water can be continuously run into the tray and drawn off through the spigot m which is left open.

A suitable stand 10 will be employed to support the tray when in use, that shown being of special construction and forming the subject of an application for United States patent filed by me of an even date herewith, Serial No. M63553.

This developing tray forms part of a portable outfit for photographers by means of which pictures can be taken, developed and fixed outdoors, the plate after exposure being transferred to the developing tray, the transfer being effected in a portable dark room such as forming the subject matter of an application filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 36,654.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A photographefis developing tray com posed of a lower section having an inner ledge, and having a plate opening in one side just above the said lodge, a strip on the three sides of the said ledge remote from the side having the plate opening, a door hinged to the side and having a strip to enter the said plate opening to force the plate to place, an upper section having a flexible strip at its lower end to engage with the plate to be developed and obtain a close joint, and clamping devices to secure the sections together, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

2. A photographefis developing tray composed of an upper section closed at the top by a colored glass and open at the bottom, and subdivided into two or more compartments, by vertical partitions, tunnels and spigots for each compartment attached to the said section near the lower end thereof, the flexible strip at the bottom edge of the said section to engage with the plate to be developed and obtain aclose joint,a lower section closed at the bottom by a colored glass, and having an inner ledge and a plate opening 11 in a side for each compartment in the upper section, a strip 25 on the three sides remote from the side having the opening 1', a door R havinga strip to enter the openingt' and force the plate to proper place, the sides of the said lower section having slots to receive the said spigots and funnels and clamping devices to secure the said two sections together and clamp the plate between the lower end of the upper section and the said inner ledge, sub stantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 15th day of March, 1893.

ARTHUR D. l RANDOLPH.

Witnesses:

OWEN WARD, CLARENCE R. COMES. 

